A Piece of Advice
by DanceThroughMyStory
Summary: Charlie Weasley may not be a parent, but he has a few words of wisdom to impart on his ambitious and somewhat stubborn young niece.


_**A/N: **Written for Taragh McCarthy's Word Limit Competition on the HPFC forum. The word limit was 1500 with a 100-word allowance. My story was 1512 and I have the lovely TamariChan to thank for reading over the story._

_**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, but my ideas._

**A Piece of Advice**

"Well then, what can I tempt you with today? We're having a special on roast chicken with pumpkin rolls as a side dish. If you're feeling sweet, I can serve you a chocolate mousse that will blow your socks off."

"Thanks, Hannah," Angelina Weasley said, smiling at their host. "I think I'll just take a cup of hot chocolate for now."

Hannah sighed dramatically. "Fine then, if the Leaky's cuisine is below you, I'll just have to plead with your husband and his handsome brother," she continued, throwing a wink in Charlie's direction.

George grinned, answering her with a laugh. "Afraid we're going to have to disappoint you as well, Longbottom. That handsome fellow across from me has a Portkey leaving later today and he's supposed to be saying his goodbyes right about now."

"Going to run me out of business, that's what you'll do," Hannah complained good-naturedly. "Hot chocolate for the Professor then. And what'll you boys do to wet your throats, or is that too much asked from a hardworking bar owner?"

"Just pumpkin juice for me, and another compliment for my already deflating ego," Charlie said, his brother motioning for the same.

"For that you'll have to spend a bit more," Hannah said, winking again as she went to get their order.

"George is right," Angelina said. "You're supposed to be making your rounds, saying goodbye to everyone before you leave. Yet here you are, drinking pumpkin juice and dwindling away the time."

Charlie shrugged, his eyes scanning over the other occupants of the bar. Those nearest to them were two old witches, whom were both smoking long thin cigars and drinking something that resembled badly brewed Polyjuice potion. "Perce says you two had quite the argument with Roxy."

George's own eyes dropped to the table as Angelina let out a frustrated breath. "She's being difficult," she explained. "Children tend to do that every once in a while."

"She's overage though," Charlie stated, watching his brother carefully. George was doing his best to avoid eye contact with everyone.

"Here's your drinks, do try to leave a tip," Hannah said as she levitated their glasses to land in front of them.

"What? It's not on the house?" Angelina joked back, trying to hide the awkwardness of their conversation.

Hannah rolled her eyes good-naturedly and left them to their drinks.

Angelina waited a few seconds until Hannah was out of earshot before continuing, "Just barely, she hasn't even finished her seventh year yet."

"George?" Charlie asked.

His brother looked at his glass of pumpkin juice pensively. "America isn't just a step or two away."

"Mum wasn't exactly enthusiastic about you opening a joke shop, but you still did and from what I can tell, it's been quite the success."

"Don't encourage it," Angelina ordered, her eyes flashing in anger.

Charlie waved his hand in a calming motion, his attention still fixed on his brother. "You're what? Going to keep her here? Have her resent you for the rest of her life? She's seventeen and you are _**not**_ losing her."

George raised his eyes to meet his brother's and found empathy there. "She needs to grow up sometime," Charlie continued, directing his words to his scowling sister-in-law.

Angelina took a long drink from her cup, sighed and finally let the anger fall away into the smoke formed by the cigars. "She's my baby," she murmured.

"I know, but that doesn't mean the world's going to treat her like one. What if I talked to her? Tried to convince her to at least finish her seventh year?" Charlie suggested.

"You think she'll listen?" George said, a lopsided grin on his face. "Percy's tried and he's her godfather, she adores him… why, I don't really know."

Charlie shrugged once more, finishing off his pumpkin juice. "Maybe I'll get lucky," he said, standing up and waving a goodbye to Hannah. "I have to go and say goodbye to Ginny anyway."

Angelina and George both followed his example, George dropping some coins onto the table in the process.

"Just try not to make things worse," Angelina said, but her words no longer held the same bite they had earlier.

Charlie nodded, briefly hugging them both and kissing Angelina on the cheek. As the two parents each left to go to their respective jobs, Charlie wondered what exactly he would say to his niece and why he had insisted, when talking to Percy, that he should be the one to say it.

* * *

"So, are you planning on hiding here for the rest of your life?"

Roxanne Weasley looked up from the book she'd been immersed in to find her Uncle Charlie leaning in the doorway of the library.

"Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry don't mind, Grimmauld has loads of space," she answered neutrally.

Charlie nodded. For some reason Grimmauld had always been the place all of the kids ended up after arguing with their parents. They all knew that Harry was their safest bet and that he would never judge them; he might make his opinion known, but he would always allow them to stay until they'd sorted things out.

"Did Mum and Dad send you?"

"No," he answered quickly. "I'm leaving tonight, so I'm here to say goodbye."

"Oh, why so soon?" she asked, placing the book on the nearest table and crossing her legs beneath her.

Charlie took the seat across from her, resting his arms on his knees. "There's a dragon that might go into labor tonight and I'd feel guilty if I weren't there."

"Grandma can't be happy," she replied. "She's always saying that you don't visit often enough."

"Will you be able to handle it?" he suddenly asked her.

Roxanne looked confused by the statement. "What?" she asked.

"The guilt, the rebukes and everything else they'll throw at you once you start visiting less and less?" Charlie asked, a slight smile gracing his features as he watched his niece's shocked expression.

"You realize that it'll happen eventually. You want to study politics, in the USA none the less. It's going to take up a lot of your time."

"I can make it work," Roxanne replied with conviction.

Charlie nodded, as if accepting her word for it. "Muggle politics though? I know Audrey's a lawyer and that she's got you interested in all of that, but why not something within the Wizarding world?"

Roxanne shook her head furiously, causing her black bangs to swivel around her petite face. "I want to do something to improve things. I've seen what Aunt Hermione has managed to do for magical creatures, but what has been done for Muggle rights? I can change lives too."

"You're sure about this? You realize that you'll have less to do with the Wizarding community and you'll possibly be living like a Squib," Charlie continued. "I'm not trying to talk you out of it," he quickly amended upon seeing his niece's expression, "I just want to make sure that you know what you're doing."

"I didn't decide this on a whim. I've been thinking about it since Aunt Audrey worked a case involving the Prime Minister. I spoke to her about the idea, and I've considered every aspect of the situation. Every time I arrive at the same point. I want to make a difference."

"Then go for it," Charlie suggested, spreading his arms wide open. "Go all the way if you have to, as long as you're sure."

"I- What?" Roxanne stammered.

Charlie only smiled in response, giving her a patient look. She watched her uncle for a few seconds, considering his words and then a thought struck her. "Do you regret it?"

"Regret what?" he asked.

"Going all the way. Moving away, hardly ever visiting, never getting married or having kids? You've given your life for your dragons; I'd say that that qualifies as going all the way."

He was staring at her, contemplating what she'd said and, for only a second, she swore she could see herself in a few years time. Alone. Work would consume her world and it would be the only thing she'd know because her friends would all grow up. They'd get married and start families of their own. Her family would always welcome her warmly, but they would never _**really**_ know her again. She would not play a significant role in their day-to-day lives because she wouldn't be part of it. How many birthdays and family dinners would she miss?

"Finish your last year," Charlie finally said. "If you still feel the same way then… your parents will accept whatever makes you happy."

"You didn't answer the question," she murmured, her eyes burning slightly as she tried to force back all of the conflicting thoughts in her mind.

Charlie stood and walked over to her. Placing a kiss on her forehead he quietly said, "I think you'll be able to figure it out for yourself."

She watched as he walked out of the library, leaving them to return to his dragons… leaving her to return to her family.


End file.
